Rita Buettner

Rita Buettner is a wife, working mother and author of the Catholic Review's Open Window blog. She and her husband adopted their two sons from China, and Rita often writes about topics concerning adoption, family and faith.

Rita also writes The Domestic Church, a featured column in the Catholic Review. Her writing has been honored by the Catholic Press Association, the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association and the Associated Church Press.

When the end of Advent is a scramble to the finish

December 18, 2022
By Rita Buettner
Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window

In these final days of Advent, I am way behind on my preparation for Christmas.

Finding our way through the darkness

December 13, 2022
By Rita Buettner
Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window

At this time of year, alarm clocks seem to go off during the middle of the night. But we have to get up and get the day started, even when it looks like midnight outside. So, I climb out of bed and make sure my high schooler is awake. I ask him what he wants […]

Journeying toward Christmas

December 4, 2022
By Rita Buettner
Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window

When we were waiting to adopt our older son, we had a long to-do list.

Ready or not, it’s Advent

November 27, 2022
By Rita Buettner
Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window

Maybe you didn’t even realize Advent had started. You feel like you’ve fallen behind. Advent will rush by, and Christmas will come, and you’ll never catch up.

Thanksgiving leftovers, Grandma’s gravy, and a road trip (7 Quick Takes)

November 26, 2022
By Rita Buettner
Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window

~1~ I had thought that this would be the first Thanksgiving we would spend with extended family since 2019. By Wednesday afternoon, however, I could see that that wasn’t going to happen, thanks to a few sicknesses running through the family. My mother told me she would be happy to share the food she had […]

Pass the gravy

November 21, 2022
By Rita Buettner
Catholic Review Filed Under: Christmas, Commentary, Feature, The Domestic Church

May this season of gatherings offer us opportunities to open our arms and hearts to others – and to be ready to entertain angels along the way.

Start the day with a smile

November 19, 2022
By Rita Buettner
Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window

I groaned as I saw the frost on my car. And then I saw the smile.

Apple cake, a special birthday movie, and making the impossible possible (7 Quick Takes)

November 13, 2022
By Rita Buettner
Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window

We are still eating our way through the apples we picked last week, so I made an apple cake. Our house smells sweet and cinnamon, but this beautiful cake only used six apples.

We played Powerball…and now we’re rich

November 9, 2022
By Rita Buettner
Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window

Like many other people, we bought a Powerball ticket. Then we did a little dreaming.

An apple picking trip, a free turkey, and a little rutabaga lesson (7 Quick Takes)

November 6, 2022
By Rita Buettner
Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window

It has been a few years since we’ve gone apple picking. So, when we realized we had a few free hours on a sunny Saturday, we headed up to Baugher’s to pick apples.

This side of heaven

November 2, 2022
By Rita Buettner
Catholic Review Filed Under: Commentary, The Domestic Church

May this season of All Souls offer you a chance to reconnect with those you’ve loved and maybe make a new connection with someone you won’t meet on this side of heaven.

Happy Halloween, autumn surprises, and homemade apple pie (7 Quick Takes)

October 30, 2022
By Rita Buettner
Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window, Uncategorized

Our boys won’t be trick-or-treating again this year, but we will be handing out candy, and we have two magnificent jack-o-lanterns for the front porch.